EN ROUTE TO KYLE, South Dakota (CNN) - In a letter sent to superdelegates Wednesday, Hillary Clinton contends neither she nor Senator Barack Obama will have the required number of delegates to clinch the nomination after Montana and South Dakota vote next Tuesday, leaving it up to party insiders to put one of them over the top.

“When the primaries are finished, I expect to lead in the popular vote and in delegates earned through primaries … I hope you will consider not just the strength of the coalition backing me, but also that more people will have cast their votes for me,” she wrote, as she continued to press her case that the race was far from over.

Clinton, who has not fared well in most caucus votes this year, has dismissed results from those states for much of the campaign, saying the method disenfranchises too many voters.

In addition to the letter, the Clinton campaign also sent along “electoral and polling” analysis - including an electoral map analysis from Karl Rove and Co. - showing her in a better position to take on the Republican nominee in November. The packet was sent to superdelegates in advance of Saturday’s meeting of the DNC’s Rules and Bylaws committee where the fate of the Florida and Michigan delegations will be decided.

“We have not gone through this exciting, unprecedented, historic election only to lose,” Clinton told a crowd in Billings, Montana Tuesday. “Based on every analysis of every bit of research and every poll that’s been taken and every state that a Democrat has to win, I am the stronger candidate against John McCain this fall.”

Several weeks ago, her campaign sent a similar analysis of her electoral strength in tough congressional districts to Democratic members of Congress and other superdelegates.

Wednesday morning, Clinton took a brief tour of Mount Rushmore before heading out on a two-day swing across South Dakota. When asked by reporters whether she could see either herself or former President Bill Clinton added to the monument, she rolled her eyes and semi-playfully urged reporters to “go learn something” about the majestic structure.

soundoff(469 Responses)

hillary
if you can't beat obama
what makes you think you can beat mcsain?

truth is you just don't get it,how could anyone beat you

May 28, 2008 01:20 pm at 1:20 pm |

DAVID

Changing rules in the middle of the game, fast and loose with the numbers, anything to win -NOT THE AMERICAN WAY!

Hilliary supporters you are the most easily fooled – nothing else. Maybe that means uneducated...

May 28, 2008 01:20 pm at 1:20 pm |

Nappy Democrat

This is it! I think it's time for the super delegates to act because this is getting silly!!! Wake up Super "Democrat's"! The ship is sinking or throw her some life jackets. Hillary CANTADD can surely use it...

May be there's room in the Republican party for her. Hillary is hitting walls right now and it's not pretty!!!!! CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!!!

May 28, 2008 01:21 pm at 1:21 pm |

JJ

Another thing.....Popular vote will not get you elected as the DEM nominee. It's delegates that count. Not the popular vote so please Hillary, stop making that argument!!!!!!!!!

May 28, 2008 01:21 pm at 1:21 pm |

Denver, CO 4 Obama

Molly,

Do the math....Even with MI & FL as is, HE STILL WINS. Is that so hard to understand? Oh, but I'm from a caucus state so I guess my facts don't count right?

May 28, 2008 01:21 pm at 1:21 pm |

Lindsay

Hillary, please go away. Thank you.

May 28, 2008 01:21 pm at 1:21 pm |

ASam

Good math Sen. Clinton:

Take away the caucus votes.

Add Florida & Michigan – although you stated that those states would not matter because they broke the rules.

For a good measure, add all the Obama votes to your column – oops! on that condition, you are now allowing caucus votes to be used. Good for you

Even in our spirit of avoiding a defeat for you, we will add all McCain's votes from the Republican party.

Now you win.
Good for you but you can now exit the race because we are working towards a November victory with Obma.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

May 28, 2008 01:21 pm at 1:21 pm |

Dean

Hillary is a joke! This clearly shows that she has no loyalty to the party whatsoever. Correct me if I'm wrong but ALL the candidates signed a pledge NOT to campaign in Florida and Michigan because they violated the rules. ALL the candidates agreed BEFORE the campaign on what the rules would be, Billiary included! Now she wants to change the rules. Why could that be? SHE IS LOSING!

Now she's we live in a Democracy where every vote should count! I agree that every vote is important but I also agree that in a Democracy you have laws and RULES to govern the people. If Billiary is allowed to break the rules she stood behind in the begginning of the campaign can you imagine what will happen 4 years from now when other states do what MIchigan and Florida did?

It's true the voters in Florida an Michigan will be penalized in some way but they do have recourse. VOTE OUT the "Brilliant" politicians who broke the rules and cost them their full right to be heard.

May 28, 2008 01:21 pm at 1:21 pm |

Nathan maddox

Billary Clinton. The party is over. You will not get another dime from me my money is going to obama as always.

Richard Johnson

May 28, 2008 01:21 pm at 1:21 pm |

Marcus B. POST MY COMMENT

POST MY COMMENT CNN.COM!!!!!

I think it is so funny that Obama supporters are called a "cult," "Obamabots," and all these other insults for believing in our candidate, yet, Hillary Clinton supporters get a new logic everyday. They don't even get a straight forward path to the White House from their candidate, but we're the cult?!?!?!?!?!?! We have been given the same message from the start, and Clintonians have been lied to from the start. Riddle me this…She goes from FL and MI won't count, to I need FL and MI to be seated fully at the risk disenfranchising voters, to count every vote but not the 1,000,000 people that voted in caucuses. How can you make an argument about disenfranchising voters by disenfranchising voters????? She's stupid, and her supporters are stupid if they listen to this mess!!!

May 28, 2008 01:21 pm at 1:21 pm |

Arome J

I can't believe Hillary could be this desperate and divisive . By the time this nomination process is over she would have destroyed Bill's legacy, herself and the Democratic party.
The world is watching this unfold.

I used to wonder how anyone could support such a hypocritical, deceptive, delusional figure, but it's become clear through this nomination process – her supporters are just as nutty as she is.

Obama 08!!!!

Arome J
Lagos, Ngr.

May 28, 2008 01:21 pm at 1:21 pm |

Joey

I thought she already had the lead in popular votes ??? hahaha
Oh that's right, the Clinton math is completely different and unknown to most.

May 28, 2008 01:21 pm at 1:21 pm |

JPG

I'm just sick of seeing her slammed by all the news agencies. Their job is to report the news, not give one-sided beat-downs to all you blind Obama supporters who'll lap up anything tossed to them like a hungry dog. The bottom line is, it's dumb that you have to go to the actual polling sites (gallup, real politcs, etc) to get ACCURATE information at all. And for everyone who just writes stupid derogatory slangs about Hillary – you're just an angry mob; and not representing the so-called "educated, college minds" that Obama apparently has. I'm just saying – back off will all this junk. It's the media and their spin on this situation that's "dividing the party", not Hillary. Obama will have a LOT of explaining to do when he LOOSES the popular vote (after Puerto Rico, and including the caucuses) but still emerges the nominee...It's like Gore, 2004 all over again. They did it to him, sure they'll do it to her. Sad, all of it...just sad. Let her run people, in dignity – she's doing exactly what you're allowed to in this country, and you throw it back in her face. Ugh, it burns me that I'll actually be sharing voting booths with some of you in November.

May 28, 2008 01:21 pm at 1:21 pm |

norma

Aren't we suppose to vote for the most qualified for a job and not the color of one's skin. Whether you Cinton haters like her or not she is much more educated about politcs than Obama. There must be many uneducated people in the states to have this mindset. I would want someone that knows what is going on and please he doesn't.

May 28, 2008 01:21 pm at 1:21 pm |

David Newport, OR

I don't think it is becoming of a person who wants to be President to beg.

May 28, 2008 01:21 pm at 1:21 pm |

Marcus B. POST MY COMMENT

POST MY COMMENT CNN.COM!!!!! POST IT NOW!!!!!!

I think it is so funny that Obama supporters are called a "cult," "Obamabots," and all these other insults for believing in our candidate, yet, Hillary Clinton supporters get a new logic everyday. They don't even get a straight forward path to the White House from their candidate, but we're the cult?!?!?!?!?!?! We have been given the same message from the start, and Clintonians have been lied to from the start. Riddle me this…She goes from FL and MI won't count, to I need FL and MI to be seated fully at the risk disenfranchising voters, to count every vote but not the 1,000,000 people that voted in caucuses. How can you make an argument about disenfranchising voters by disenfranchising voters????? She's stupid, and her supporters are stupid if they listen to this mess!!!

May 28, 2008 01:22 pm at 1:22 pm |

No Obama

The caucases should not count because people were afraid to go. They were intimidated and freightened in most cases.

May 28, 2008 01:22 pm at 1:22 pm |

Dan 6995

Didn't Gore win the popular vote? Did he become president? No, the candidates should follow the rules. How utterly sickening that Clinton wants her votes counted in states Obama did not campaign in. It's really beyond my imagination. That shows her true side. Lie, cheat, do anything to get there and then do anything to stay there. Sound familiar? She's be no better then Bush!

May 28, 2008 01:22 pm at 1:22 pm |

FactCheck

> how can Sen Obama with ties to radicals like Khalidi, Rezko,
> Rev Wright, and Louis Farrakhan be a US president ?

Hill is not intelligent. Hill is a psychopathic incessant liar. Hill is extremely corrupt. Hill and Bill are quite capable of hiring someone to go after Obama. Hill is not capable. Hill is not qualified, Hill has 35 years of experience accomplishing nothing but "trying" to subvert the system from within. Hill is evil! The majority of americans do NOT like her nor do they trust her...I'll say it again...they DO NOT LIKE Hillary and she is not likable. This IS why she is losing the democratic race. CNN won't say it, MSNBC won't say it. Fox won't say it because they want her to win...because they know more than others that what I'm saying here is true and they know they will win because of it. As one of her former staff once said, she needs to be kept as far away from the white house as possible. One last thing: Hill is actually worse than all the above..so consider the above a compliment.

May 28, 2008 01:22 pm at 1:22 pm |

Amod, Portland ME

I agree with Sen. Clinton – the caucus does not fairly reflect the voter's preference. If it was so reliable why wouldnt they use it for general elections nationwide? The only ppl who go to the caucus are those that either have way too much time on their hands or those that have the luxury to take a whole day off for the ridiculous excercise.

May 28, 2008 01:22 pm at 1:22 pm |

Truthbeliever

All you need to do is look at that deranged look on her face in the picture, it's really getting sad. What an irrational, delusional woman. With a monstrous ego. Taking her party down with her. The sad thing is, so many of her supporters are drinking the same crazy juice, and won't vote for Obama because of it. What should have been a very easy win for the Democrats is being handed on a silver platter to McCain, thanks to this woman.

May 28, 2008 01:22 pm at 1:22 pm |

Ryan

Right now Obama still leads in pledged delegates from primary states. But the argument is stupid anyway, count every vote.. except for the 15 caucuses of course..... how does that make sense?

May 28, 2008 01:22 pm at 1:22 pm |

An American in Canada for David

Yes, H.R. CLINTON, will have the lead in popular votes and they will total in the numbers of 20 MILLION VOTES.

As Far as Delegates go, Obama is only leading in delegates because of the In Your Face, Intimidating Caucuses, which threw unsuspecting caucus goers by surprise. That will never happen again, such tactics are for Old Time Politics, which apparently Obama claims he is not part of! LOL BUT EVERYONE KNOW THAT AXELROD IS ALL ABOUT OLD TIME POLITICS AND HE IS ALL ABOUT WINNING AT ANY COST.

H.R. CLINTON THE FUTURE PRESIDENT 2009-2012

May 28, 2008 01:22 pm at 1:22 pm |

shirley

The Clinton's are planning to steal the nomination through coercion and 'back room' deals. I hope the delegates put a stop to their dirty politics, it makes them all appear to be corrupt.